Workin' On My Fitness: Hot Hula Instructor's Training

First off, I apologize for my last post. I re-read it and cringed at how poorly written it was. While I know my posts are never 100% perfection, a post about resolutions should have been more fluid and coherent than that high school level diary entry. I doubt I will blog more often than I have been lately, but I will at least make a more concerted effort to give quality posts each time, making your reading my blog more worth your time and mine.

my manual

As I mentioned in my last post, I registered for a Hot Hula fitness instructor's training workshop, and it was this past Saturday! The workshop really opened my eyes to a new understanding of fitness and culture, and I met other trainers from around the island who are absolutely inspiring. I wanted to share some thoughts on this format, in case anyone was interested in learning more about Hot Hula.

PREMISE

I grew up dancing Polynesian dances. I also grew up trying to dance anything I could get my hands on. This led me to dip my toes in all kinds of dance genres, from ballet to hip hop, to ballroom, to folk, and everything in between. I have also choreographed dances and musical numbers throughout my life. Not anything spectacular -- but if you're looking for not spectacular, I'm your girl! :-) I love to dance, and to perform in general, but I'm too old to even start to pursue it professionally. ("Don't ever say you're too old!" Pro dancing is an exception to this statement.) When I first heard about this back in 2010, not only did I think it was brilliant (and about time, I was tired of Zumba already!), but it was something that I could do. Something that kept me doing what I love, sharing (in a small way) the cultures that I love, and staying fit for the rest of my life.

THE FITNESS MIND

As a dancer, training to be an HHF instructor was illuminating. The first thing our master trainers told us was that the primary reason HHF was created is fitness. That means you're not supposed to come to a HHF class to learn how to hula, or to learn how to fa'arapu, or to learn our cultures. You come to get a workout. This should be obvious, but when you live in the land of hula, your paradigm for this format needs to shift. Thankfully I do live in Hawaii, and I can tell people "if you wanna learn real hula, join the halau down the street," or "if you wanna see real Tahitian, go to Tahiti Fete." But if you are looking for a fun dancing workout that takes a break from Zumba and Hip Hop Abs, come check us out!

So as  dancer-turned-instructor, I have 3 things I need to keep in mind as I prepare for this job:

"The moves are modified to give you a workout."

Almost every move that we know in the dancing world is modified for the Hot Hula format, and the statement above explains why. It makes sense when you consider that the creator, Anna-Rita Sloss, created this program from a fitness background, NOT a dancing one. In our manuals, the moves are written out for us and described in columns. The last column shows the different body parts that are being worked with this move. I need to study this section so I can have a better understanding of the exact workout class members will be getting, and let go of my pre-conditioned "proper form."

"You teach the siva exactly as it is and nothing else."

The siva is the bread and butter of the workout, and Anna-Rita has already created 9 of them for us. This was the most disillusioning part of my training. I love to choreograph. I love to fuse different kinds of dance styles together. I love to create a dance from a song of my own choice, and I thought fitness instructors could do that. So of course, I was bummed. But here is how the reason was explained to me: it keeps the fitness format consistent no matter where you go and who teaches, and it keeps from liabilities that come with instructors doing their own thing. For example, one master instructor went to someone else's HHF class, and that lady did fa'arapu all the way down and duck walks. In Tahitian, that's awesome; in HHF, that's bad for your knees. And if someone's knees get messed up because they did duck walk, they could sue Anna-Rita for this one instructor's deviation.

"Start on a high; end on a high."

This one isn't a dealbreaker or anything, but it's something I personally have a big problem with. What I mean is that when I am in front of people, I don't smile. Like ever. (Except for when I dance and do Broadway-type shows -- because I have to.) Even when I was a dance instructor, I never smiled or exuded enthusiasm and energy. I'm guessing it's a mental thing -- my purpose teaching dancing was just to teach them the dance. In Hot Hula, my purpose as their instructor is to give them the Hot Hula workout experience. The master trainers told us, "You give them 50%; they'll give you 15%. So if you want them to give you 100%, you have to give them 130% and more!" This concept is definitely out of my comfort zone, but I know I'm going to have to work on it if I want people to have a good experience at my class and come back again.

So yeah, this is definitely a new adventure for me. But 2013 is all about being better than 2012, and I know that Hot Hula fitness will give me that edge. I am excited and nervous and I hope that people who come to my class will benefit from it just as much as I will. So if you're ever in the North Shore area, come February I will start my classes. I don't know where or when yet, but I'll keep you posted.

P.S. Our master trainers told us that Facebook is the most solid method out there to keep in touch with other HHF sisters and events. So....... to my chagrin....... I'm back on FB. (yay.....) 

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New Year's Resolutions: 2013 Edition

I apologize for my delay in writing a New Year post. I wanted to include some pix and/or vids from our holiday trip... but alas, I'm having photo problems yet again. (Story of this blog's life.) So Happy Pictureless Post New Year to you and yours!

One thing that was good about going home for Christmas is getting a new perspective on life. At least on my current life. I watched my siblings interact with their spouses, with each other, with their children, with other's children, etc. I observed my parents working, teaching, sharing wisdom, growing older. And this was the first Christmas where my heart really ached for my brother-in-law and my sister. It was a holiday of learning, and I am completely humbled by the entire trip.

So this year's resolutions are going to be a bit different for me. I have only one resolution for the year, but I have TONS of smaller goals that will take up less time, like say only a month or two. Here are my first few goals for the year:

• Get baby Chip to sleep without breastfeeding, and have him soothe himself back to sleep 
• Cook at least once a week
• Fix the bunk bed
• Teach the girls something new (a craft, a song, a game, etc.)

Oh, and I don't know if I mentioned anything about Hot Hula Fitness yet, but I registered to get certified to be an instructor! The live workshop is next week Saturday, so I'll keep you posted. I can't believe I just did that...

I almost forgot to talk about my one resolution. My dad gave me a priesthood blessing before we came home, and I was completely blown away. It is amazing how much our Heavenly Father truly knows us. I received counsel and guidance on so many things (that my dad didn't even know about, mind you), and I know that by following this blessing, my life will change. A lot. So this year I have a lot of work to do, and my resolution is: to do what He says. At least to always be striving towards accomplishing what Heavenly Father counseled me to do.

This year is going to be different. Can anyone else feel it too?

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Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I'm home!

I'm so happy to be home!

I've been here for a week, and I'll be here for another two weeks.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to me!

Not everyone has made it yet

so far just us Hawaii clan -- minus Jobi, who's coming soon

but once they get here, it will be cooking

cleaning

making presents

and practicing for the Christmas Eve program.

You know, the one that's in the living room

in front of all the family.

It's a pretty big deal. We have a pretty big family.

I'm soexcitedandslightlystressed and have a lot to do for the Christmas Eve program

and I'm still trying to process all the feelings I have about this trip so far

that I'm going to end this post to collect my thoughts.

It'll probably take two or three posts to sort them out... so be ready. :-)

Until then...

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Movie Review: BREAKING DAWN: PART 2

I have seen a few movies that I have been dying to write about, but I wasn't sure if movie reviews was a good thing for my blog. Just like books, I only watch certain types of movies, and I don't want people to read this and expect me to review genres that I never watch. Besides, my opinion is only my opinion, and the little bit of insecurity I have always tells me my opinion is not good enough.

So to review the final installment of a blockbuster beast is waaaaaaaaaaay out of my element.

But then again, this is my blog.

And I feel like talking about it. Because it was a blockbuster beast. And what good is a blockbuster without it being talk-worthy afterwards, right?

So forget you, insecurity. I'm gonna write a movie review!

*     *     *     *     *

PREMISE

I have to put this out there. I've watched all the movies, and I've read all the books. I hate the books. The movies are only a little bit better. I don't really want to get into why I don't like the books, because I get pretty heated about it--which is weird, since I don't get heated about many things. The main argument I have against the series is that the author forgets so many rules of creative writing that I was constantly distracted and couldn't fully immerse myself in the series. (read:annoyed.) The saving grace of Meyer's story in my eyes was her take on the legends of vampires and werewolves. How the vampires turn, how they glow in the sunlight, the Quileutes and how Meyer's werewolves operate in their packs, even the Volturi... all were imaginative and artistic. I loved her fresh approach to classic mythology (and like I said before, the vampire/werewolf stories never get old.) That alone was the reason I couldn't put the books down. I could care less for the love triangle, and I especially couldn't stand Bella. I'm going to stop there, because nothing good will come of me continuing, and this post is about a movie, after all.

The other three movies were about as good as the books. Better, actually, since the movies stayed out of Bella's head. The actors were fine, not incredible, but they didn't have to be; the vampire makeup looked cakey and subpar; the story arc flowed well; the graphics, camera work, and music were phenomenal. I was waiting for this Twilight hype to be over, though, and wasn't expecting much with this last movie. All I remember about this part in the book was that I was even more over reading Twilight, so to say I was skeptical is an understatement.

I know. I'm a hypocrite. How could someone say they hate something so much and still read all the books and watch all the movies? Yeah, I ask myself that, too.

THE GOODS

Whatever the movies lacked before, they sure figured out and fixed them for Breaking Dawn 2, because I loved it! Yes, ladies and gentlemen -- I finally can say I loved a Twilight movie. The opening credits reel itself was both haunting and enchanting. Who says that about opening credits? The graphics, the camera shots, the edits, the song choice... I would not be surprised if that opening sequence alone got an award somewhere. It. was. spectacular!

Then once that was over, the screen cut straight to where we left off in the first half: seeing newborn vampire Bella's red eyes. Can someone in the movie industry thank the makeup, hair, and costume people? Bella was GORGEOUS! (And so was everyone else.) Kristen Stewart's looks always had potential, but in every movie I've ever seen her in (which were only these and the Snow White one), her looks hadn't really come together. But not in this one. She was radiant. Her acting was much better, too. It was bold, nurturing, confident, and strong. All traits of her book character, but traits that I wasn't convinced Bella really had until Stewart's on-screen performance. She made a great mother and an excellent vampire.

The scene where she sees her dad for the first time since the wedding was surprisingly moving. The two did not exchange a lot of dialogue there (very much like their characters), but their interaction was all the dialogue you really needed. I'm having a hard time describing it, but basically I could see what both Bella and the dad wanted to say to each other, and I could feel their pain in not being able to say it. The actors did a brilliant job. You'll just have to watch it and see for yourself.

But my absolute-most-all-time-favorite part of the movie was the action scene. If you've seen the trailers, you'll notice there is one; if you've read the books, you'll notice there is not one. That was what I had most looked forward to, seeing how they pulled that off. Well, they pulled it off magnificently. The action itself was incredible, as easily as exciting to watch as in any other battle scene in Hollywood. That surprised me, because any action in the other movies was lame. And the sequence of events during the action scene both amazed and shocked me. [Spoiler Alert: in this scene, people die. People we love die.] But how the battle unfolded made the resolution (the one that really happened in the book) that much more plausible, and therefore more powerful. I was stunned, and then I was satisfied.

I forgot to mention the movie was funny. Not all the time, but enough to make you smile when you needed it the most. Look out for scenes with Bella and Jacob. Those were my favorite. [Spoiler Alert: you can't go wrong with the lines "You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness monster?"] I can't remember if that line was in the book, but Stewart did it justice no matter what.

BEING NITPICKY

Because my expectations of this movie were so incredibly low before watching it, I don't really have anything to complain about. Yay for that. I'm pretty sure the final scene and closing credit sequence was solely for the Twihard fans, because by the end reel I suddenly felt like pulling out my "I Like My Werewolves Hot" tee and wearing it with pride. (I'm NOT Team Jacob, by the way. I'm Team Peeta! lol)

I could've gone without the graphics of Renesmee, though. Most other movies (minus Benjamin Button and the like) just use different child actors to portray characters in different stages of their lives. I wish they did that with Renesmee: have a real baby with a real face, and a real 3-year-old with a real face, and so on. The girl they cast was amazing (and passed for Bella and Edward's daughter with flying colors), but I don't see anything wrong with casting other girls to play her as well. Maybe they did. Maybe it was a production or casting issue. Maybe it was politics. Or maybe they wanted to try their hand at CGI'ing a baby. Either way, CGI Renesmee looked like she belonged in "The Polar Express" movie, and I didn't care for that.

BOTTOM LINE

If you've ever mocked Kristen Stewart on her acting abilities, you may be eating your words after this. If you were a Twihard fan before, you may just leave the theater in tears. If you are a dude trying to get other dudes to go watch it with you, you still need to take a chick or two so you don't look stupid. But you dudes will not be disappointed. If you are hesitant about forking over the money, let me help: watch the movie -- don't buy the popcorn. Breaking Dawn 2 was a better series ending than Deathly Hallows 2 was to the Harry Potter series, which is saying a lot since I'm loyal to all things HP.

Bottom line: my favorite of the movies. And if it is MY favorite, I'm sure it will be your favorite, too.

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Homemade Is My New Favorite Thing

Halloween costumes for the kids

I must think I'm Martha Stewart or something. After making the girls' costumes last Halloween and decorating our home for last Christmas, I'm all about doing holidays homemade now. This Halloween was no different, and I'm super proud of my costumes I made for the kids.

Almonds was the only one who chose her costume. She wanted to be a butterfly. Then someone said to just make them all different insects, which I thought was brilliant. So then Blondie became a ladybug, and Chip was a honeybee. Thank goodness for us living here, because I had much better resources (in the form of my artistic sisters who had paints and twine, and an Ace store that was only a 2-minute walk away) to make cuter costumes. And the only one that actually took money was Chip's, because I had no yellow or black onesie to work with, and our sewing machine was down. I bought spray paint from Ace. Not the best idea, just so you know. I sprayed the stripes early in the morning and let it dry outside in the wind all day, and it still had smelled like paint fumes. Chip kept rubbing his face the whole time he wore it, and since I was a bit bothered by the paint fumes myself, I knew it wasn't worth it. Thank goodness I made it a whole week before Halloween, for our church party. But before the real trick-or-treating, I soaked and handwashed it. The paint started wearing off, but at least the smell was gone. So yay for that.

Halloween for me growing up was all about making our costumes. I remember only one costume I wore that was purchased (a bunny rabbit at 4 years old), but it was fun coming up with ideas for costumes and then seeing them created before my eyes. My mom was exceptional at making things from scratch. I remember in second grade on Halloween morning I didn't have a costume to wear to school. She told me to put on a dress and shoes, and by the time I was done getting dressed, she had sewn me a beautiful red cloak out of an old bed sheet. (Is that amazing or what? I swear, our mothers are the best!) If there is any tradition that I would like to pass down regarding Halloween, it is wearing homemade costumes. I absolutely love it!

But I better end by saying that I am NO Martha Stewart. I'm sure she never made anything by stapling fabric to cardboard, or spray painting a onesie, or making the kids wear their wings with pajamas. I doubt I'll even be as good as my mother

Oh, and if you must know, I dressed up as a wild insect photographer. It didn't look that believable because I had no safari hat or boots. But I had the camera. That should count for something, right?

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